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Trivia: Musical Terms

Subject : trivia
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. To shift to another key.






2. The first violin in an orchestra.






3. A form of Italian opera beginning at the end of the 19th century. The setting is contemporary to the composer's own time - and the characters are modeled after every day life.






4. One or more vocalists performing without an accompaniment.






5. A Boroque dance with a drone-bass.






6. Piece of instrumental music played between scenes in a play or opera.






7. A single line of music played or sung. A musical sentence.






8. Music that is written and performed without regard to any specific key.






9. Word to indicate that the movement or entire composition is to be played smoothly.






10. A musical form where the principal theme is repeated several times. The rondo was often used for the final movements of classical sonata form works.






11. Movement in music where the characteristics are crisp and direct.






12. A whole note is equal to 2 half notes - 4 quarter notes - 8 eighth notes - etc.






13. The raising and lowering a pitch of an instrument to produce the correct tone of a note.






14. A portion of the range of the instrument or voice.






15. Singing or chanting in unison without strict rhythm. Collected during the Reign of Pope Gregory VIII for psalms and other other parts of the church service.






16. Combining a number of individual but harmonizing melodies. Also known as counterpoint.






17. To repeat a previous part of a composition generally after other music has been played.






18. An instruction in sheet music to play softly. Abbreviated by a 'p'.






19. The playing or singing the upper half of the vocal range. Also the highest voice in choral singing.






20. The unit of measure where the beats on the lines of the staff are divided up into two - three - four beats to a measure.






21. Often used in overtures - a composition that uses passages from other movements of the composition in its entirety.






22. To shift to another key.






23. Direction to performer to play a composition in a brisk - lively - and spirited manner.






24. The retuning of a stringed instrument in order to play notes below the ordinary range of the instrument or to produce an usual tone color.






25. Arranging a piece of music for an orchestra. Also - the study of music.






26. A composition written for three voices and instruments performed by three people






27. Creating variation pitch in a note by quickly alternating between notes.






28. A lighthearted piece - written in several movements - usually as background music for a social function.






29. A chord progression that seems to lead to resolving itself on the final chord; but does not.






30. A sequence of chords that brings an end to a phrase - either in the middle or the end of a composition.






31. To hold a tone or rest held beyond the written value at the discretion of the performer.






32. Rapid alternation between notes that are a half tone or whole tone apart.






33. Includes all twelve notes of an octave.






34. A 17th century dance written in Quadruple time - always beginning on the third beat of the measure.






35. A short or brief sonata.






36. Time signature with three beats to the measure.






37. A complex piece of music. Usually the first movement of the piece serving as the exposition - a development - or recapitulation.






38. A set of four musicians who perform a composition written for four parts.






39. A harmonic given off by a note when it is played.






40. The voice between soprano and alto. Also - in sheet music - a direction for the tempo to be played at medium speed.






41. The intonation - pitch - and modulation of a composition expressing the meaning - feeling - or attitude of the music.






42. Two notes that differ in name only. The notes occupy the same position.For example: C sharp and D flat.






43. A repeating phrase that is played at the end of each verse in the song.






44. The performance of either all instruments of an orchestra or voices in a chorus.






45. Made up of five horizontal parallel lines and the spaces between them on which musical notation is written.






46. Curved line connecting notes to be sung or played as a phrase.






47. A loose collection of instrumental compositions.






48. In sheet music - an instruction to repeat the beginning of the piece before stopping on the final chord.






49. A Boroque dance with a drone-bass.






50. A musical style characterized as excessive - ornamental - and trivial.







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